Question

Are Cristae found in mitochondria?

Answer 1

A fold in the inner lining of the mitochondrion is termed as crista. The name is derived from the Latin for crest or plume, and it gives the inner layer its wrinkled form, giving it a much larger surface for chemical reactions to take place. This aids the respiration of aerobic cells because the mitochondria needs oxygen. Cristae is full of protein, including ATP synthase and a variety of cytochromes.

Complete answer:
Each mitochondrion is a structure bound to both the inner and outer membranes by clearly separating its lumen into two parts of aqueous compartments - the inner compartment and the outer compartment. The inner one is termed as the matrix. The outer layer forms a continuous limiting boundary for the organelle. The inner membrane has numerous infolds called cristae going towards the matrix. The cristae essentially increase the surface area for chemical reactions to occur. The increased surface area will result in an increased capacity for ATP generation. Crista is traditionally organized into lamellar, tubular, and vesicular cristae. They seem to appear in a variety of cell types. It is debated whether these shapes are a result of different pathways.

Note:
The cristae help to increase the surface area where the reaction occurs, e.g., electron transport chain in the case of cellular respiration. If they were not present, the inner membrane of the mitochondria would be spherical in shape, and since there is only a small area available, the efficiency of the response may also be reduced.